Clothes-was her



(No Model.)

J. D. GARDNER & J. N. BRUMBELOW.

CLOTHES WASHER.

No. 326,860. Patented Sept. 22, 1885.

Jams-,2) aralmr UNITED STATES PATENT @Errcn JAMES D. GARDNER AND JAMESN. BRUMBELOVV, OF MORGAN,

TEXAS.

CLOTHES-WASHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 326,860, datedSeptember 22, 1885.

Application filed September 27, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J AMEs D. GARDNER and JAMEs N. BRUMBELOW, citizensof the United States, residing at Morgan, Bosque county, Texas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Olothes-Washers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates to that class of washing-machines in which air isdriven by the action of a piston through the clothing and the watersurrounding it, thereby producing such agitation of both a rapidcleansing of the soiled fabric. It is the purpose of our invention toprovide a simple and efficient apparatus for accomplishing this result,and one in which either water or air may be used alternately; and tothis end our invention consists in the several novel features ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully set forth, anddefinitely pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings forming part of) this application, Figure l isa central vertical section of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is an end elevationof the piston.

In the said drawings, the referencenumeral 1 denotes a cylinder,preferably made of metal, having its lower end flared, as shown at 2,and provided with a diaphragm, 3, having a suitable number ofperforations, 4. A haudle, 5, is placed upon the side of this cylinderto enable the operator to handle it with convenience. In the upper endis fitted a removable cap, 6, having one or more air-openings, 7, andprovided with a short central tube or sleeve, 8,which receives apiston-rod, 9, carrying a piston-head, 10, having a suitable packing,11, the latter being formed of rubber or other proper material, andfitting within the cylinder as closely as is consistent with its easyreciprocation. Coiled upon the piston-rod 9, above the cap 6, is aspring, 12, bearing against a flange, l3, rigidly mounted upon the upperend of the rod, and having its lower end fastened to the tube 8, or resting upon the top of the cap 6. A central airopening, 13, is formed inthe piston-head 10, leading up into the hollow end of the pistonrod andcommunicating with an opening, 14, forated (No model.)

in said rod. The opening 13 is closed by a valve, 15, composed of a flatdisk which rises and falls on two pins, 16, which are rigidly secured toand depend from the piston 10.

The operation is as follows: The operator, placing the cylinder in thetub, forces the piston-rod down, whereupon the valve in the piston headcloses, and the air contained within the cylinder is driven out throughthe water and clothes, producing an agitation of both and forcing thesuds into and through the fabric. Upon completing the stroke thepiston-rod is released, when the spring surrounding it lifts thepistonhead to its former position, the valve opening on the upwardstroke and allowing the air to flow through the perforated rod to theunder side of the piston-head.

When the clothing is very badly soiled, or when it is for any reasondesirable to force the Water and soap through the clothes instead ofair, the air-opening 14 in the hollow end of the piston-rod is closed,whereupon the reciprocation of the piston-head will draw the water intoand expel it from the cylinder with great force, effecting a rapid andthorough cleansing with great rapidity.

In using the apparatus the cylinder should be raised from the tub aftereach stroke and placed in a different spot, thereby cleansing eachportion of the clothes equally.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is- 1. A clotheswasher consisting of the cyliuder 1, having the perforated diaphragm 3and flare 2 at its lower end and a detachable perforated cap, 6, at itsupper end, the piston-rod 9, carrying the piston 10 and having its lowerend provided with the central opening, 13, having the air-hole 14, forconnect ing the central opening with the cylinder at a point above thepiston, and a rising and falling valve carried by the piston, foropening and closing the central opening in the pistonrod, substantiallyas described.

2. A clothes-washer consisting of the cylinder 1, having the perforateddiaphragm 3 and flare 2 at its lower end and a detachable percap, 6, atits upper end, the pistonrod 9 carrying the piston '10 and having its Intestimony whereof we affix our signatures 10 lower end provided with thecentral opening, in presence of two witnesses. 13, having the air-hole14, for connecting said central opening with the cylinder at a pointJAMES D. GARDNER. 5 above the piston, the pins 16, rigidly secured JAMESN. BRUMBELOW.

to and depending from the piston, and the disk-valve 15, slidingvertically on the pins Witnesses: to open and close the central openingin the T. P. WEsT, piston-rod, substantially as described. J. W. CLARK.

